Tube for condensers or other thermal interchangers and process of producing the same.



J. ELY. TUBE FOR GONDENSBRS OR OTHER THERMAL INTERGHANGERS AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14. 1909.

1 Patented July 11, 1911.

i7. Ly

INVENTOR :62 ATORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ELY, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN B. ROACHE,

- OF BROOKLYN; NEW YORK.

TUBE FOR OONDENSERS OR OTHER THERMAL INTERCHANGERS AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE SAME.

units between fluids separated therein by tubular walls, the saidtubular walls are apt to become quickly destroyed owing to the corrosive action of the fluids in contact therewith, and also to electrolytic action which is often present; In condensers employed on board ship where sea Water is used as the cooling medium thetubes thereof deteriorate very rapidly due to the foregoing actions, and in addition thereto, an incrustation is rapidly formed such as seriously interferes with the conduction of heat and hence with the required interchange of.

thermal units.

The object of my present invention is to protect the tubular walls in such apparatus from the electrolytic and corrosive actions, and to prevent such incrustation, While at the same time interfering as little as possible with the conduction of heat so as to main tain the .efliciency of the apparatus as a thermal interchanger. To these ends I apply a thin coating of rubber to the tubes either inside. or outside, or both, as may be found necessary or preferable, this thin coating of rubber being applied preferably by dipping the tubes into a solution of rubber or rubber compound and in then. vulcanizing the protective coating thus applied. By making this coating very thin the conduction of heat is interfered with but very little and the efficiency of the apparatus is not ma terially reduced. The rubber coating, how-- ever, insulates the metal of which the tubes are composed from electrolytic action and from corrosive chemical action generally, and I have also found as a result of actual experiment that such coating prevents incrustation to a very high degree; for in- ..a rstance,in condensers using salt water as- I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1911.

Application filed April. 14, 1509. Serial No. 489,809.

"the cooling medium, I have found that there is practically no deposit of salt'upon the rubber coated tubes such asrapidlyforms where the tubes are not so coated.

I will now proceed .to describe an embodiment of my invention, having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in central vertical section of a condenser employing tubes constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View in detail of a portion of one of the said tubes. Fig- 3 is a view in transverse section. therethrough. Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional view of a tube coated both upon the inside and upon the outside.

To illustrate my invention I have shown a conventional form of condenser, as the general form or construction thereof forms no part of the present invention, and indeed it other cooling medium to the lower portion.

of the chamber inclosed by the casing 8 around the tubes 7, and a discharge pipe 12. carries the same away fI'OIIl'.t-h6 upper portion of the chamber so as to maintain av ci rculation through the apparatus. The tubes 7 have a coating of rubber or rubber compound 13 thereon. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 this coating is shown as upon the exterior of the pipe only, while in Fig. t a coating 14 is shown upon the inside of the pipe also.

. It will be understood that, depending upon this class of apparatus and the class of fluids to be used, the protective coating may beemployed both inside and outside, or u on the inside or the outside only. As be ore stated, the coating is preferably very thin,-

conveniently not more than: one-siXty-fourth of an inch thick,the: fact that it is applied directly to the pipe while in solution and then vulcanized in place permitting such a thin coating to be used because the coatin itself so formed, need have no strength per 56.

What l. claim is:

l. A mudenser or other thermal interchanger tube composed of a metal base and pr::tective coating comprising a thin film of rubber in adherence therewith.

2, condenser or other thermal interehanger tube composed of a metal base and interior and exterior protective coatings comprising thin films of rubber in adherence With the said metallic base.

3. A condenser or other thermal interchanger comprising a plurality of tubes eac mprising a me base and a coatin whereby liquid may be circulated around the sai tubes.

4. The herein described method of protecting metallic tubes for condensers and similar thermal inter-changers consisting of applyinrr rubber solution to the tubes and then rul canizing the rubber solution so applied, upon the tubes.

5. A condenser or other thermal interchanger tube composed of a metal base and a protective coating Within and Without the same comprising a thin film of rubber upon the interior thereof in adherence With the metal base, and a thin film of rubber upon the exterior thereof also in adherence with the metal base.

JAMES ELY.

Witnesses 

